Roller and track assembly for rotatably supporting a playground tread barrel



1970 c. w. AHRENS ROLLER AND TRACK ASSEMBLY FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING A PLAYGROUND TREAD BARREL Filed Nov. 1968 ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,536,324 Patented Oct. 27, 1970 3,536,324 ROLLER AND TRACK ASSEMBLY FOR ROTAT- ABLY SUPPORTING A PLAYGROUND TREAD BARREL Claude W. Ahrens, W. Highway 6, Grinnell, Iowa 50112 Filed Nov. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 772,581 Int. Cl. A63g 31/00 U.S. Cl. 272-1 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention provides roller and track assemblies for rotatably supporting a tread barrel for rotation about its longitudinal axis while holding the barrel against removal from a base frame on which the rollers of the assemblies are mounted. The rollers are arranged in pairs to opposite sides of a vertical plane extended through the longitudinal axis of the barrel. Track members ridable on and corresponding to each pair of rollers extend circumferentially about the barrel for rolling engagement with a corresponding pair of rollers. Each roller is received between opposed radially extended side walls or flanges of a track member to limit the axial movement of the barrel relative to the rollers. A laterally extended circular flange on one of the side walls of a track member coacts with a laterally extended stop member on the base frame to hold the track member against radial movement out of engagement with its associated rollers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The tread barrel track and roller assembly of this invention provides for a free rotation of the tread barrel about its longitudinal axis while preventing removal of the barrel from its supporting frame, The positioning of the side portions of the barrel track; members to opposite sides of the rollers limits or confines the movement of the barrel in an axial direction, and the coacting stop members on the track members and on the barrel supporting frame retains the track members against radial movement out of engagement with the rollers. The barrel is rotated in response to the weight of children attempting to wolk up the inner surface of the barrel. Each pair of rollers corresponding to a track member is located adjacent to the lowermost portion of the barrel to provide for a low support of the barrel so that the open ends of the barrel are readily accessible for the entry of children into the barrel. By virtue of this arrangement and the substantial enclosure of each roller by a housing or guard member and by a corresponding track member children are prevented from getting a hand or foot within the zone of rolling engagement of a track member with a roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the track and roller assembly of this invention shown in assembly relation with a tread barrel;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a roller unit that forms a part of a track and roller assembly;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a track and roller assembly taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partial end elevational view of the tread barrel playground apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawing, the tread barrel apparatus, indicated generally as in FIG. 1, includes a base frame 11, a tread barrel 12 and pairs of track and roller assemblies 13 of this invention that support the tread barrel 12 for rotation about its longitudinal axis.

The base frame 11 is of an open substantially square shape formed by a pair of opposite inverted end channel members 14 and a pair of angle iron side members 16 interconnected by bolt assemblies 21. The tread barrel 12 includes stave members 17 arranged in a side by side relation and connected together by means including end hoops 18.

Since each roller and track assembly 13 is of a similar construction and similarly assembled with the base frame 11 and tread barrel 12, only one of such assemblies 13 will be described in detail with like numbers applied to corresponding parts.

A track and roller assembly 13 includes a roller 19 of a rubber or like composition (FIG. 3) having a peripheral surface 21 and side surfaces 23. The roller 19 is mounted between the upright legs 24 of oppositely arranged angle iron members 26, and is rotatable on a shaft 27, extended between and supported on the upright legs 24, for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the tread barrel 12. The horizontal legs 28 of the angle members 26 are secured to the base 29 of a channel end member 14 by weldments 31 or the like.

The roller 19 and angle members 26 (FIG. 2) are enclosed by a housing 32 of a rectangular shape in transverse cross section having a pair of side walls 33 and a pair of end walls 34 and 36. The side walls 33 are formed with depending lower end portions 37 that straddle a channel end member 14 and are rigidly connected thereto by bolt assemblies 38. The lower edges of the end walls 34 and 36 rest directly on the top surface of the base 29 of a channel member 14.

A pair of the rollers 19 are mounted on each channel member 14 to opposite sides of a vertical plane extended through the longitudinal axis of the tread barrel 12 at positions adjacent the lowermost side portion 39 of the barrel as shown in FIG. 4. The top of the housing 32 is inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the barrel portion 39 for clearance relative to the peripheral surface of the barrel. The upper end of each end wall 34 and 36 (FIG. 2) is formed with a pair of transversely spaced slots 35 and 40 for a purpose to appear later.

A circular track or rail member 41 (FIGS. 1 and 2). foming part of an assembly 13, is of a channel shape in transverse cross section and has a base portion 42 extended circumferentially about and secured to the barrel 12 and leg portions 43 and 44 extended radially outwardly therefrom. The leg 44 terminates in a flange 45 that projects laterally outwardly in a direction toward an adjacent end of the barrel 12 (FIG. 1).

The outer peripheral portion of a roller 19 (FIG. 3) is positioned between the legs 43 and 44 of a corresponding track member 41 for rolling engagement of its peripheral surface 21 on the base portion 42 of the track member. The legs 43 and 44 of a track member thus coact with the side surfaces 23 of a roller 19 to limit the axial movement of the tread barrel 12 relative to the rollers 19 and in turn to the base frame 11.

Upward movement of the track member legs 43 and 44 to positions out of a straddling relation with the peripheral portions of the rollers 19 is prevented by the provision of a stop member 46 carried on a side wall 33 so as to form an upright extension thereof. The stop member 46 is formed from a flat strap material into a right angle shape and is secured to a side wall 33 so that one of its leg sections 47 projects inwardly of and above the side wall 33 with its free end portion in an adjacent overlapping relation with the flange 45 at a position between the flange and the outer peripheral surface of the barrel 12. As a result the leg section 47 coacts with the flange 45 to hold the track member legs 43 and 44 against movement out of a contacting engagement with the side surface 23 of a roller 19. The barrel 12 is thus maintained against accidental removal from the frame 11.

It is seen, therefore, that the track legs 43 and 44 coact with the side surfaces 23 of the rollers 19 to limit axial movement of the barrel 12 relative to the frame 11, and that the lateral flange 45 and stop member 46 coact to limit movement of the barrel 12 radially of the rollers 19. The barrel 12 is thus freely rotatable about its longitudinal axis while being held against axial movement relative to the frame 11 and against removal from the frame.

The tread barrel 12 is open at its ends to allow children free access to the inside thereof, and is of a suflicient diameter to permit children to stand upright transversely of the barrel. As the children attempt to walk up the sides of the barrel, the downward force of their weight causes the barrel to rotate about its longitudinal axis. The slots 35 and 40 at the upper ends of the end walls 34 and 36 are in alignment with the track leg 43 and flange 45, respectively. The track leg 43 and flange 45 are thus movable through their respective slots 35 and 40 as the tracks 41 ride on the rollers 19. It will also be apparent that the track legs 43 and 44 serve as a covering shield relative to the upper portion of a roller 19. As a result the zone of the rolling engagement of a track 41 with a roller 19 is completely shielded against the placement therein of a hand or foot by a child using the tread barrel.

I claim:

1. A roller and track assembly for a tread barrel comprising:

(a) a base frame,

(b) a plurality of pairs of rollers spaced longitudinally of said base frame, with the rollers in a pair spaced transversely of the base frame to opposite sides of a vertical plane extended through the longitudinal axis of the barrel.

(c) circular track members each corresponding to a pair of rollers extended circumferentially of and secured to the tread barrel for rolling engagement on a corresponding pair of rollers,

(d) first coacting means on each track member and associated pair of rollers for holding said tread barrel against axial movement relative to said rollers, and

(e) second coacting means on each track member and on said base frame for holding said track members against upward movement out of rolling engagement 50 with the pair of rollers corresponding thereto.

2. A roller and track assembly for a tread barrel," as

defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) each track member is of a channel shape in transverse cross section having a base portion extended circumferentially about said barrel and a pair of leg portions extended radially of said barrel,

(b) each of said rollers has a peripheral portion. positioned between said leg portions with the peripheral surface thereof in rolling engagement with said base portion, and I (c) said first coacting means includes said leg portions of each track member and the side surfaces of the rollers.

3. A roller and track assembly for a tread barrel, as

defined in claim 2, wherein:

(a) said second coacting means comprises a flange member laterally extended from one of each said pair of leg portions and a stop arm adjacent each roller rigidly connected at one end to said base frame and extended upwardly therefrom,

(b) said stop arm having a laterally extended portion projected in an overlapped relation with said flange member at a position between said flange member and the peripheral surface of the tread barrel.

4. A roller and track assembly as defined in claim 1 including:

(a) an upright tubular housing member for enclosing each roller mounted onsaid frame and extended upwardly adjacent the top side of a roller,

(b) each said housing having slots formed in the upper ends of a pair of opposite side walls thereof to provide for the travel. therein of a track member into rolling engagement with said top side of a roller.

References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 45,698 1/1865 Camp 241178 883,485 3/1908 Ridgway 272-1 903,632 11/1908 Tilyou 272-1 FOREIGN PATENTS I 166,771 9/1950 Austria. 1 26,372 AD 1912 Great Britain. 28,036 AD 1913 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner US. or. XR. 

